The numbers add up for Airbus’ A380

In addition to its starring role at events such as the Dubai Airshow, Airbus’ 21st century flagship A380 continues to receive high marks in revenue service from operators and passengers alike – furthering its reputation as the new “queen of the skies.”

More than 137,000 revenue flights have been performed to date by the 110-plus A380s delivered to 10 customers so far: Air France, British Airways, China Southern, Emirates, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways International.

Since entering commercial service in 2007, the fleet of jetliners has logged approximately 1.1 million flight hours – during which over 50 million passengers were carried. The global A380 fleet also has an average daily utilisation that is greater than 13 hours, and services 116 weekly frequencies.

Contributing to the A380’s positive operator feedback is its proven ability to attract passengers, according to Airbus Head of A380 Marketing Antonio Da Costa. “The A380 generates very high load factors, with several customers quoting load factors near and above 90 per cent – which is an excellent figure for the industry,” he added.

A chief reason travelers seek out A380 services is the aircraft’s unrivalled comfort levels – leveraging its double-deck configuration to provide the widest seats in the industry for Economy class passengers, more personal storage, better head room and wider stairs and aisles; while incorporating additional technologies like advanced lighting systems and in-flight entertainment – for a more enjoyable in-flight experience.